Council must decide next step in city manager search

STOCKTON - More than two months after the retirement of Bob Deis and a famously unsuccessful ensuing attempt to hire his replacement as Stockton's new city manager, the matter has receded into the background, a cooling-off period aided by the passage of time and the natural slowdown that accompanies the holiday season.

STOCKTON - More than two months after the retirement of Bob Deis and a famously unsuccessful ensuing attempt to hire his replacement as Stockton's new city manager, the matter has receded into the background, a cooling-off period aided by the passage of time and the natural slowdown that accompanies the holiday season.

But the matter will return to the forefront Tuesday afternoon when the City Council meets in closed session to determine the next step in the process of finding Deis' replacement.

The council has several options.

It could reconsider runner-up applicants from the initial search, which ended with the aborted candidacy of front-runner David Garcia, the city manager of Coachella Valley. It could decide to hire a new search firm to generate a fresh field of applicants.

Or it could consider hiring Deis' interim replacement, Deputy City Manager Kurt Wilson, for the permanent position. Wilson has received wide praise from council members for his post-Deis efforts

"We've seen how Kurt runs the show, and we can be confident he is doing a good job," Councilwoman Dyane Burgos Medina said. "He's got really strong communication skills, and I think he's got good communication with the entire council."

Councilman Elbert Holman added, "(Wilson) could be a possibility. We'll just have to see. We're going to meet and decide what to do. I don't really have a statement to make right now. Everything is on the table."

Despite the public support he has received from the council, Wilson's interest in the permanent position is unclear. He declined an interview request this week through Connie Cochran, a spokeswoman for the city.

Garcia's candidacy ended in November when he withdrew his name in the midst of confidential contract negotiations. Garcia's withdrawal came after Mayor Anthony Silva released his name before the deal was finalized. In December, the council voted 5-2 to publicly admonish Silva for prematurely revealing Garcia's identity. Silva and Vice Mayor Paul Canepa voted against the admonishment.

This time, it appears Silva will be much more careful. Responding to a request to be interviewed about the upcoming Tuesday meeting, Silva responded by text, writing only that there was "no additional information" about the city manager search. Other council members said they are equally cognizant of the need to avoid a repeat of the Garcia misadventure.

"We are very, very aware that we want to make sure this one is done properly and that we have complete confidence that we are going to hire the very best option for the city," Councilwoman Kathy Miller said.

Miller and others said the steady, solid work done by Wilson and his staff since Deis left has allowed the council to move deliberately as it looks to make a permanent hire.

"(Wilson) is very well-versed in all aspects of the bankruptcy," Miller said. "We've assembled a really strong financial team. I think the council is feeling very comfortable that we are remaining on track."

Burgos Medina added, "I think we learned a lot with the first (hiring attempt). Luckily for us, we have a really competent team running things right now, so we have time to make sure we get the right person for the job."

Contact reporter Roger Phillips at (209) 546-8299 or rphillips@recordnet.com. Follow him at recordnet.com/phillipsblog and on Twitter @rphillipsblog.